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U-M Flint students celebrate graduation at Perani Arena

The University of Michigan-Flint on Sunday organized commencement ceremony at Perani Arena, where as many as 360 students celebrated their graduation degrees.

Activities at the ceremony included speeches from some new graduates as well as alumnus like Todd Rowden, a graduated from the university in 1986. Rowden is currently serving Thompson Coburn LLP's Chicago office as a managing partner.

Among those celebrating with family and friends were Justin Bailey, who earned a bachelor's degree in nursing; and Nnamdi Eze, who earned his doctorate in physical therapy after receiving his bachelor's degree from the Nigeria-based University of Ibadan.

Eze, who now lives in the Washington D. C. area, said he earned a degree because of the requirement for those specializing in his field back in Nigeria, where there is a huge demand for physical therapists. He added that he had plans to move to Flint for further study. Eventually, he plans to return to Nigeria to help elevate standards of physical therapy.

Happiness Kala, a fellow doctorate of physical therapy graduate, is already practicing as a physical therapist.

Speaking about her experience, she said, "U-M Flint came to talk about the program three years ago. My friend who was already enrolled told me about it."

She added that she found the online classes somewhat exhausting because time difference between the U. S. and Nigeria. Some classes would be in the middle of the night, and she would have to wake up early for work on the next morning.

Yunpeng Zheng, a Guangzhou, China native, said he moved to the city of Flint after deciding to enroll in the IT systems program at the university. But, later he switched to business because he was more interested in the economic side of a computer information systems company. He also plans to return home to China to set up his own business.